In a recent conversation with Riff X’s Metal XS, Saxon vocalist Biff Byford confirmed that work has already begun on the follow-up to the band’s 24th studio release, Hell, Fire And Damnation, which was released in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music.
“ Well, we’ve started writing the next album. I’m doing lyrics now,” Byford revealed. “And I’ve got a lot of ideas from the guitarist [Doug Scarratt], [drummer] Nigel [Glockler] as well, and from Nibbs [bassist Timothy Carter]. So, yeah, I’ve got quite a lot of ideas, which I’m compiling at home in my studio. So I think we’re maybe looking — fingers crossed — we’re looking at a new album in autumn next year, September/October.”
Back in April, Byford also spoke to The Dark Melody about the early progress: “We’ve been writing for about six or seven weeks now, off and on. So yeah, we’re coming in with some ideas and I’ve got some ideas for songs, for titles. And, yeah, it’s coming along.”
He added, “It will be out next year, I think. We’re probably gonna start recording in November, when we finish touring. We’ll probably go in and record the drums and bass and the basic guitars and some guide vocals then. So, yeah, we’re pretty much on it. We’re working towards the new album. It’s going well.”
Meanwhile, Saxon recently announced the cancellation of 10 summer shows and festival appearances as Byford undergoes an emergency medical procedure. This comes following his prior health challenges — including a procedure last August to treat atrial flutter and a heart attack in 2019 that required triple bypass surgery.
Reflecting on Hell, Fire And Damnation, Saxon’s first record with guitarist Brian Tatler (of Diamond Head fame), Byford told FaceCulture in February: “I think it’s been a natural progression with our following and the fans with our music. Brian coming into the band added a little bit of a different dynamic to the music writing. So I think that was for a good thing. I think the new album, ‘Hellfire’, has been voted ‘Album Of The Year’ on quite a lot of sites and things, so obviously we struck a little bit of good scene with the album, a good flow. So hopefully the next one will be just as good, if not better… Well, it can’t always be better, but let’s hope. I mean, ‘Hellfire’ is gonna be hard to beat. That’s a pretty perfect album, I think.”
The album was co-produced by Byford and Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept), with Sneap also handling mixing and mastering duties. According to Byford, it was one of Sneap’s best efforts in terms of sound.
“I think this album’s one of the best he’s done sound-wise, and he’s done a lot of albums,” Biff said. “It has a really raw, vibrant sound… if you compress the total time making this album, it was four weeks tops… you can hear everything brilliantly, nothing’s overcomplicated, nothing’s over compressed. The guitar sounds are fucking immense, they’re just great, raw guitar sounds. And we haven’t done a lot of overdubbing on there; it’s just playing. I really, really like it.”
The lineup shift that brought in Brian Tatler followed longtime guitarist Paul Quinn’s decision in early 2023 to step back from touring. That decision led to the cancellation of Saxon’s planned South American tour and their appearance on the Monsters Of Rock cruise. While Tatler continues to perform live with Saxon, he remains a member of Diamond Head.
Tatler now joins Scarratt, Glockler, Carter, and Byford on stage, maintaining Saxon’s high-energy live presence. Of the original lineup, only Byford and Quinn remain in the current roster.
Formed in South Yorkshire, England, Saxon has sold around 23 million albums worldwide and helped define British heavy metal with classic anthems like “Denim And Leather,” “Princess Of The Night,” “Wheels Of Steel,” and “Power And Glory.”
